As a dedicated fan of British comedy and a seasoned observer of the industry, I found myself utterly captivated by the ongoing court case involving the allegations of intellectual property theft in the world of sitcoms. The High Court‘s atmosphere on Monday was electric, with a lineup that could rival any Comedy Store gig – a veritable who’s who of British humor gracing the witness stand.
On Monday, London’s High Court seemed more like a comedy club with an impressive roster of performers gracing the witness stand, as they shared their testimonies in a lawsuit about a TV sitcom that was allegedly copied.
Humorist Harry Deansway (real name Joshua Rinkoff) claims that Steve Coogan’s production company, Baby Cow, has copied his 2013 YouTube show “Shambles,” a mix of sitcom and stand-up comedy, in a lawsuit he filed against them.
In 1998, Coogan, along with producer Henry Normal, established Baby Cow. Later, they sold most of its shares to BBC Studios. It’s important to note that Coogan isn’t implicated in the lawsuit and there’s no indication he played a role in the suspected duplicate series called “Live at the Moth Club.” However, day-to-day management at Baby Cow is handled by CEO Sarah Monteith, while Coogan continues as a shareholder and creative director.
According to Deansway, it’s Rupert Majendie, the head of comedy at Baby Cow, whom he had collaborated with and socialized for many years on the U.K. comedy scene, that is accused of copying his series. However, both Majendie (who testified in court on Monday) and Baby Cow have refuted this allegation.
In court documents and while testifying, Deansway highlighted resemblances between his works, “Shambles” and “Live at the Moth Club”, both aired on UKTV in 2022. He noted commonalities such as characters like a club owner with a barmaid niece, an episode where the comedians believe the club is haunted, and the fusion of sitcom and stand-up comedy that allowed him to introduce emerging comedians in a unique, fresh manner.
According to Dean’s testimony, comedy booker and TV producer Majendie would have been familiar with “Shambles” due to its promotion on social media by several well-known comedians. Dean also mentioned that he presented an early version of the show under a different name to Majendie when he was working at the BBC, stating in his witness statement that Majendie found it interesting enough to propose it to his supervisor at the BBC (“He showed enough interest to submit it to his boss at the BBC,” Dean said). Furthermore, comedian Adam Hess, who wrote the pilot episode of “Live at the Moth Club”, had appeared in the second season of “Shambles.
During the questioning led by Baby Cow’s lawyer, Jonathan Hill, Deansway asserted that the documentary-like approach used in “Shambles,” similar to mockumentaries or cinema verite, was also present in “Live at the Moth Club.” He challenged Hill’s argument that the occurrences in “Shambles” were implausible and staged for humor. Hill stated that “Shambles” is not a realistic show and the events portrayed are not real-life events. However, Deansway disagreed, stating that while the events might seem unrealistic to some, they could indeed happen at a comedy club.
As a movie enthusiast, when I probed the comedian about his assertion, referring to a plot where comics were grilled over a purloined pizza, Deanway responded with a nod and a wink: “There’s some offbeat personalities in comedy, so I reckon that scene rings true.
During his time in the witness box, Majendie stated that any resemblances between the two series were merely coincidental and he asserted there was no overlap whatsoever. When questioned by Timothy Sampson, Deansway’s lawyer, if both shows shared the same fundamental concept, Majendie answered negatively.
Baby Cow enlisted the help of comedians Ellie White, Alexander Owen, and Ben Ashenden, who are known as “The Windors,” “A Very Royal Scandal,” and “Jurassic World Dominion” respectively, to speak on its behalf in court. These comedians had previously worked for “Live at the Moth Club” under Majendie’s employment, but they all claimed to have not been familiar with a show called “Shambles” when they started working with Baby Cow. They insisted that any resemblance between the two shows was purely coincidental.
Amidst the gravity of the case unfolding before High Court Recorder Amanda Michaels, there were moments of levity in the courtroom. The first chuckles echoed when Ashenden, who joined us virtually from the set of his latest project, shared with the court: “I feel compelled to apologize for my attire; I’m currently dressed as a medieval baker – it seems I’m about to film a scene.
White added humor to the courtroom when, in response to Sampson’s question concerning a contract with Baby Cow co-signed by her comedy partner Natasia Demetriou, she disclosed that Demetriou’s company was named Horny4Cash Limited at the time.
The trial continues.
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2024-11-04 23:17